Stefon Diggs Starts In First Game After Assault Allegation

All eyes were on Stefon Diggs today as he returned to the field for the first time since serious allegations emerged from his former personal chef, who accused the NFL star of assaulting her during a salary dispute.

Despite already securing both a playoff spot and their division title, the New England Patriots still had motivation heading into Sunday’s matchup against the Dolphins — a potential win could secure them the number one seed in the AFC, which remains up for grabs.

The controversy surrounding Diggs stems from claims detailed in an incident report filed last week. According to the report, a woman told police on December 16 that she had been working as Diggs’s private chef on December 2 when he allegedly entered her unlocked bedroom to discuss an argument over unpaid wages. During that discussion, she claims Diggs became enraged, struck her across the face, and attempted to choke her using his arm around her neck.

On Tuesday, prosecutors formally charged Diggs with felony strangulation or suffocation, along with misdemeanor assault and battery.

In response, Diggs’s attorney, David Meier, issued a statement dismissing the accusations as false and unfounded, saying they “are unsubstantiated, uncorroborated, and were never investigated — because they did not occur.” Meier also suggested that the allegations stem from a “financial dispute” that the employee was unhappy with.

“Stefon looks forward to establishing the truth in a court of law,” the statement concluded.